


goodbye summer☼

by quasoos



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Childhood Friends, Friends to Lovers, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-23
Updated: 2013-11-23
Packaged: 2018-10-18 12:55:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10617339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quasoos/pseuds/quasoos
Summary: Several glasses of lemonade, a jar full of promises and ten years of loving Kyungsoo later, Jongin grows to hate the label 'friend'.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> [reposting from lj]
> 
> "The friend label is a label that I grew to hate."  
> -Goodbye Summer by f(x) (Amber, Luna, Krystal) feat D.O of EXO

On any ordinary Saturday, the drive way across the street would be mostly empty besides the red station wagon parked in its usual spot by the road side and some strewn toys on the lawn. However, on this particular Saturday, there is a black table and a single blue plastic chair sitting at the edge of the driveway. Jongin squints at the clock from where he is a perched at the window, spaceship curtains drawn back to let the early morning light flood in.

7:38 A.M.

Who is up at 7:38 on a Saturday morning, Jongin wonders, rubbing away the sleepiness that still lingers in his eyes. He had woken up early because he didn’t want to miss his Saturday cartoons. Why else would someone wake up so early? He gets his answer when he sees the front door open across the street, and out walks Do Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo is a year older than Jongin, and he has lived there for as long as Jongin can remember. He was always doing something or another, most of the time by himself. Jongin isn’t sure if it’s because he likes to be alone or if it’s because he doesn’t have anyone to play with.

But that’s not entirely true, as Jongin recalls seeing the older boy with another taller boy; one with ears that jutted out of his head sharply, and had the kind of untamable hair that his mother should probably consider cutting soon. Sometimes the two of them would fly kites, or pass a ball back and forth. But Jongin hadn’t seen that boy—Chanyeol was his name?—in a while, and Jongin wonders if the two of them are friends anymore.

Jongin watches as Kyungsoo comes walking down the driveway with his arms full of plastic cups, a pitcher, sugar and a big wooden spoon. Kyungsoo, who is rather tiny for his age (seeing as Jongin is a year younger, but is already taller than him) barely manages to hold onto everything. Luckily, he makes it to the table and dumps it all. He carefully starts to arrange everything in an orderly row, with the cups stacked neatly on the right. A minute later he is clumsily attempting to pour sugar into the pitcher, and maybe trying to hold a big bag of sugar in one and hand and trying to stir with the other isn't the best idea in the world. Sugar is starting to spill all over the table and Kyungoo is biting his lips in frustration as he tries to continue stirring without dumping the sugar everywhere.

Jongin, who is still watching Kyungsoo, snorts. Kyungsoo is a boy having a lemonade stand. Only girls have lemonade stands. Actually, when Jongin looks hard enough, the soft curve to his pink lips and his big brown eyes are kind of like his sister’s. Once Kyungsoo is done pouring his sugar, he sits down in his little blue chair and he waits.

And waits.

And nothing really happens for a while.

Finally, a couple walking their dog approach, and Kyungsoo’s face lights up. His face drops a little, however, when they walk by without so much as sparing a glance at Kyungsoo.

Despite this, the small curl to his smile tells Jongin that he’s still hopeful. Jongin scoffs, unsurprised; who would want to buy lemonade from him anyways? Though, he has to admit, Kyungsoo's smile did cause something heavy to settle in the pit of his stomach. He thinks it might be because he hasn’t eaten yet, but he’s not sure.

Soon, the early morning magentas are starting to fade out of the sky, and a pale aqua fills its place. A few joggers out for their early run pass by, though none of them buy any lemonade.

And Kyungsoo's still sitting in his chair, but his dopey grin and hopeful eyes have started to disappear along with the early morning dew. Jongin can’t help the pull in his tummy again—he really should go eat something—and he's almost tempted to go across the street. He’s almost reaching for his green piggy bank when his mother calls him down for breakfast.

His mother’s calling voice breaks him out of whatever staring-at-kyungsoo-induced haze he had been in for the past hour or so, and when he sits down in front of the T.V. with his bowl of Lucky Charms, it dawns on him that he had just spent basically half his morning watching his girl-of-a-neighbor put on a lemonade stand. He could (should) have been watching cartoons and eating Lucky Charms. Feeling embarrassed with himself (he’s really glad that Kyungsoo hadn’t caught him staring), he turns on the T.V. in an attempt to forget Do Kyungsoo’s stupid smile and his silly lemonade stand.

Now, on any normal Saturday, Jongin would be enjoying his Loony Toons and Lucky Charms--because what is better than funny cartoons and sugar coated cereal on a Saturday morning--but on this particular Saturday, he is only half paying attention to everything. Loony Toons isn't nearly as funny as it usually is, and his Lucky Charms are a little soggier than what he’s used to.

Even worse, Jongin’s slight ADD and short attention span doesn’t help much either, so naturally he ends up staring at the curtains every few minutes. Not that he wants to, but he can’t help it, he wants to know what Kyungsoo is doing.

Is he still sitting out there?

Jongin’s 7-year-old curiosity gets the best of him, and he decides that a little peek out the window couldn’t hurt.

So he does, and he sees that Kyungsoo still hasn't moved and Jongin isn't sure why his stomach still feels uncomfortable.

Unconsciously, Jongin glances at his piggy bank again, and finally he decides that buying just one glass wouldn't be so bad, especially if it can make him feel just the slightest bit better.

After salvaging one of his precious quarters (hey it was a lot for someone running on an allowance of $1.50 a week) he slips out the front door. Jongin avoids looking directly in Kyungsoo’s direction, because he knows if he gets a good look at the older, he would chicken out and run back into the house. Even with his eye's trained on the ground in front of him, Jongin can feel Kyungsoo's curious stare boring into him.

"Hello?"

Jongin, not quite at the edge of the drive yet, looks up. He's surprised to hear that the other’s voice is more boyish than he would have expected. Actually, his voice has a surprisingly calming quality to it; it makes Jongin think about the wonderful voices he hears in Carols during Christmas time when he is dragged to the mall to look for presents with his mom.

“Uh. I’d like to buy some lemonade.” Jongin would normally add a ‘please’ after that but he forgets his mind goes blank and he forgets his manners the moment he sees Kyungsoo’s face break into an adorable grin.

“Of course! One glass of lemonade, coming right up!” Kyungsoo picks up the big jug of lemonade and attempts to pour it, until finally, after spilling more onto the table than into the cup, he holds out a floral Dixie cup with bright eyes and a sweet smile and says “That’ll be 25 cents.”

Jongin is reluctant to hand over the quarter but after some hesitation he presses it into the palm of Kyungsoo’s hand and takes the cup from his other. Jongin had originally planned on going home once he got the lemonade and drinking it there, but with the way Kyunsgoo is staring so intently at him, he feels obligated to drink it, right then and there.

So he does, and truthfully, it’s a miracle that Jongin is a good actor otherwise there would be 25 cents worth of ‘lemonade’ all over his clothes. It’s not terrible perse, it’s- actually it’s pretty awful. There isn’t enough lemon in it to be called lemonade, and Jongin thinks he should probably tell the other boy that he’s supposed to use sugar and not table salt to make lemonade but Jongin just gives Kyungsoo a nod of approval anyways because he doesn’t have the heart to tell Kyungsoo otherwise.

Jongin has nothing else to say, so he begins to walk away, but after a moment’s hesitation, he turns around to ask, “Why?”

Kyungsoo looks startled to see Jongin talking to him again, but he just cocks his head in confusion and responds, “Why what?”

“Why are you having a lemonade stand? Cause. You’re a boy and all.” (He mumbles the last part)

“Ah,” Kyungsoo nods in understanding, “I’m trying go to Korea!”

“Korea? Like the one all the way across the ocean?” Jongin repeats in awe. Korea is so far away from home! Jongin isn’t even allowed to leave his block yet, let alone go to Korea.

“Yup! I’m already 25 cents closer thanks to you,” Kyungsoo says gratefully.

Jongin feels himself blushing again. “Uhm. Why do you want to go to Korea?”

Kyungsoo’s happy smile visibly seems to crumple at this question, but Kyungsoo still manages to respond like he did before, “My best friend in the whole world moved to Korea. I’m going save up all the money I can and I’m going to go visit him one day.”

If Jongin thought the nasty feeling in stomach was bad before, the little pin pricks in his chest are definitely worse; It feels even worse than the time he had eaten too much Halloween candy and thrown up all over his brand new Spiderman costume; Jongin still hasn’t hasn’t been trick-or-treating and it’s been almost two years since that incident.

“Is he the tall boy with the floofy hair that you always used to play with?” Jongin feels bad for asking but he’s still curious.

Kyungsoo tries to keep a straight face, but the melancholy that strikes his eyes isn’t hard to miss. “Uh huh. His name is Chanyeol. And he promised me he would stay my best friend until I can visit him and so that’s why I need to sell as much Lemonade as I can so I can see him soon.”

Kyungsoo sounds like he is about to cry when he finishes and Jongin’s positive that’s the last thing he wants so he says the first thing he can to prevent that—“I’m sorry for making you sad; I-I’ll buy another. Cup of lemonade. Just uh, don’t be sad. Please.”

Kyungsoo seems to realize how upset he had sounded earlier, so he straightens up and reaches for another cup with the same cheerfulness he has when Jongin had first walked over.

“Ok! Thank you…? What’s your name again? I don’t actually remember.” Kyungsoo blushes this time, embarrassed that he doesn’t even know name of his very first customer. Jongin thinks the pink staining Kyungsoo’s cheeks suit his round little face perfectly.

“My name’s Jongin.” Jongin replies shyly, holding his lemonade cup with both hands so he can keep them occupied while he ogles at Kyungsoo’s long lashes and wide, expressive eyes.

Kyungsoo responds equally as shy, “Ok then, thanks Jongin. In case you didn’t know I’m Kyungsoo.” Jongin blushes harder. Yes, he definitely knew that.

“Alright I’ll be right back.”

He awkwardly shuffles away toward his house with his cup of ‘lemonade’ in hand. Jongin thinks he sees Kyungsoo waving to him in his peripheral vision, but he’s concentrating too hard on the ground again to be sure. If he turns around and sees Kyungsoo he will most definitely do something to embarrass himself.

Jongin dumps the lemonade down the sink when he gets home, and he totally just wasted part of his allowance, but it doesn’t stop him from going back to buy lemonade again.  
☼☼

Jongin decides that his spending his measly allowance of $1.50 on lemonade he never drinks is well worth it when Kyungsoo wraps Jongin into a tight hug after proudly showing him a jar lined with quarters on the bottom.

 

☼☼

  
“Hi Jongin, are you here to buy some more lemonade?” Kyungsoo cheerfully greets from his usual place: the little blue chair by the edge of his driveway. The all too familiar pitcher sits at the front of the table, half full with luke warm lemonade and if Jongin hadn’t already burnt through his allowance for this week, he would probably buy some more.

Jongin fidgets a little, shifting from foot to foot and playing with the hem of his oversized Power Rangers t-shirt. Jongin tries to keep the nervousness out of his voice. “No actually uh I-I was wondering if you wanted to come ride bikes with me.”

Kyungsoo spends a long minute staring at Jongin with round, surprised eyes, and Jongin is just about to take back his offer when Kyungsoo bursts out of no where, “Let’s go!” and quickly trots over to the garage to dig for his little red bicycle. Jongin laughs when Kyungsoo abruptly stops everything because he forgot to close up shop for today and he shuffles back to carry his stand into the garage.

When they are both finally standing by their bikes, Jongin clicks his tongue and awkwardly asks, “What do you want to do?”

Kyungsoo somehow manages to shrug from underneath all of his padding (his mother had made sure to come out and force Kyungsoo into knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards, and a helmet)

“What do you want to do?”

Jongin shrugs. “I don’t know, what do YOU want to do?”

Kyungsoo shrugs again. “You’re the one who asked me to play with you first.”

It’s true. Jongin thinks really, really hard for a few moments and finally suggests, “How about cops and robbers?”

“I love that game! Chanyeol and I used to play it a lot before he moved.” Jongin catches the note of sad nostalgia in his voice.

“Ok, since you’re probably an expert at this game then, I’ll let you choose who you want to be first.” Jongin offers quickly, hoping he can distract Kyungsoo from thoughts of his friend.

“I wanna be the cop then.” Kyungsoo automatically announces, waving a hand around and pointing a thumb at his chest. Jongin is always the cop, but he will make an exception just this once.

“Fine then. I’m a pretty good robber though, good luck trying to catch me.” Jongin sticks out his tongue, and being a mature 7 year old, he gets a head start and pedals away from before Kyungsoo is even on his bike. When Kyungsoo finally realizes what had just happened, he squeaks indignantly and waddles to get onto his bike and catch up with Jongin.

Kyungsoo does eventually catch up with Jongin. He pedals fast despite having such short legs. Kyungsoo pedals so fast that he actually manages to almost corner Jongin at the end of the block where they had agreed would be the border, and Jongin thinks if he could just turn around right now before he gets too close he would be able to outrun Kyungsoo—

Except Jongin’s bike buckles from under him as his wheels loose friction against the gravel he swears wasn’t there a few moments ago. His bike clatters to the ground noisily and he falls, scraping his knees and palms against rough cement in the process. Jongin can feel tears starting to prick in his eyes, but he holds it in. He wasn’t about to cry in front of Kyungsoo. He about to be in third grade; He’s a big boy now, and big boys don’t cry.

“Jongin are you ok!?” Kyungsoo’s excessive amounts of padding makes it hard for him to get off his bike, but when he does he throws his bike aside and rushes over to Jongin who is clutching his knees, which are messily dripping with fresh blood on both sides.

“I-I’m. Ok.” Jongin grits out, but both him and Kyungsoo can tell that he is on the verge of crying. “You need band aids and and blood wow there’s so much blood you stay here I’ll be right back.” Kyungsoo quickly rambles all of this off at once before he gets up and makes a mad dash for his front door.

Kyungsoo returns a few moments later with a wet cloth, a white bottle and a box of band aids.

Kyungsoo makes a beeline for Jongin and when he finally gets there he abruptly grabs Jongin’s right palm, causing Jongin to wince from the sudden movement. After a quick inspection, Kyungsoo starts wiping at his cut up palm with the wet cloth. Jongin yelps at the sting, and Kyungsoo notices, so he begins wiping a little softer. Jongin’s heart starts beating wildly when he feels Kyungsoo’s hand on his, and he hopes his palms aren’t starting to sweat like they do when he has a dance competition or piano recital. When Kyungsoo gets most of the blood cleaned off his hand, he grabs the white bottle, uncaps it, and sprays it directly onto Jongin’s boo boo.

“OW OW OW! That hurts! What is that stuff?” Jongin screeches at the burning he feels pooling in his wounds.

Kyungsoo dismisses him and puts a pororo band aid onto his affliction. “Oh shoosh, it’s healing spray.”

“Healing spray? That’s not even real.” Jongin narrows his eyes at the older. “Do you even know what you’re doing?”

Kyungsoo stops and pulls up his right pant leg, proudly revealing an onslaught of band aids marring the sides of his calf. “I do actually. I’m a little clumsy so I’ve seen my mommy fix me plenty of times and she always uses this magic spray that fixes me up. So yes it is real.”

“Oh.” Jongin still doesn’t believe there’s such thing as magic spray, but he’ll let Kyungsoo think what he wants. And even though Jongin thinks that this is another girly thing about Kyungsoo he should care about, he doesn’t. If anything, Jongin finds it cute.

“Now be quiet and stand up.” Jongin complies and Kyungsoo patches up both his knees in record time.

When Kyungsoo’s done, Jongin is sporting four new band aids, a new appreciation for knee pads, and a slightly erratic heartbeat. Jongin wonders if Kyungsoo has any healing spray for that, but Jongin has a feeling the spray won’t do much good if Kyungsoo continues to press his tiny fingers in between Jongin’s slightly larger ones as Kyungsoo tries to guide an injured Jongin back to his house.

 

☼☼

It becomes a regular thing—When Jongin isn’t buying lemonade from Kyungsoo, they chuck a nerf ball back and forth, though usually it ends up with Jongin throwing it a little to hard at Kyungsoo’s face and then Kyungsoo running into his house to tattle on Jongin.. Kyungsoo’s mother is never amused. She’s also doesn’t seem to like it when they fly kites near the house; it might have something to do with the fact that Jongin always manages to get it stuck on the roof.

Of course, they still play cops and robbers. And not that Kyungsoo knows, but it’s Jongin’s favorite. (He even kept the cute little pororo band aids Kyungsoo gave him in the top drawer of his desk.)

Kyungsoo doesn’t play alone anymore, and though the scrapes on Jongin’s knees and palms heal within a couple of weeks, his sporadic heartbeat whenever he’s with Kyungsoo doesn’t go anywhere.

 

☼☼

Kyungsoo stops having lemonade stands when the jar is a fourth full. it’s the summer before 6th grade and Kyungsoo decides he is too old to be doing something like that anyways. Jongin’s surprised that he feels a pang of disappointment when he realizes that he won't be able to buy anymore of Kyungsoo’s god-awful lemonade.

But Jongin doesn’t stop giving Kyungsoo his allowance. Call it a habit, but Jongin has been helping Kyungsoo for so long that he can’t help but want to continue to watch the jar swell with change.

He starts slipping pennies into the jar when Kyungsoo is grabbing his pokemon cards from the living room, hiding dimes at the bottom when Kyungsoo is in the bathroom, and if he is feeling especially generous, he’ll put in a couple of quarters in when Kyungsoo is helping his mom prepare dinner in the kitchen.

Jongin doesn’t tell Kyungsoo, and Kyungsoo never notices.

 

☼☼

  
Jongin meets Chanyeol for the first time during winter vacation of 7th grade. He doesn’t meet Chanyeol in person, but he does get to talk to him face to face over Skype. Kyungsoo’s parents had just gotten him a laptop for his birthday, and it was by mere coincidence that Chanyeol had managed to get his hands on a computer of his own as well. Kyungsoo and Chanyeol had been exchanging letters and telephoning each other for years now, but with the way technology was progressing, it was becoming easier and easier to stay in touch.

“I feel nervous. Jongin why do I feel nervous? I’ve talked to Chanyeol before I don’t understand,” Kyungsoo mumbles anxiously. He and Jongin are wrapped in a pile of blankets on the floor of Kyungsoo’s room, patiently waiting for the oval next to Chanyeol’s name to go from a transparent ‘offline’ to a green ‘online’. Kyungsoo grips Jongin’s wrist out of habit.

“There is nothing to be nervous about, you talk to him every week on the phone. It’s the same thing. Plus,” Jongin coughs awkwardly,“I’ll be right here if you need me. For support and stuff.”

Kyungsoo’s vice like grip on Jongin’s wrist loosens a little, but not enough.

“I think I’m just nervous because it’s face to face. He hasn’t seen my face in years and cameras always make people look and sound bad.”

Jongin rubs at Kyungsoo’s fingers that are wrapped around his wrist. “It’ll be fine hyung, I promise.” It causes a small smile to creep onto Kyungsoo’s face, but that smile drops when a little box in the bottom right hand corner of the screen flashes up, showing that Park Chanyeol is now online.

“Jongin, Jongin, help me. OH NO he’s calling me now what should I do...Jongin you answer it ok. I’ll just hide under here.” Kyungsoo burrows under the blankets before Jongin has a chance to respond.

Jongin sighs, but presses the ‘accept’ button anyways.

The distorted shuffling and rustling that all webcams capture filters through the speakers, and

Jongin is staring straight at the pixelated but pearly white teeth and glistening bright eyes of whom he assumes to be Park Chanyeol.

Chanyeol’s grin turns lopsided. “Wow it really must have been a long time if I can’t even recognize you Kyungsoo. You got really tan. And your face it kinda...changed. A lot.”

Jongin cracks half a smile. “That’s cause I’m not Kyungsoo. I’m…” Jongin pauses. He wants to say he’s Kyungsoo’s best friend; after all Kyungsoo is his best friend. But Jongin knows that there’s no point, because it’s a one sided thing. Chanyeol is Kyungsoo’s best friend. But saying Jongin is just a friend to Kyungsoo...it causes an uncomfortable lump to form in his throat. Jongin has never had to think about a label for their relationship before and he doesn’t know what to say. He’s not just Kyungsoo’s friend. But he’s not Kyungsoo’s best friend.

“I’m Kyungsoo’s neighbor, Jongin.” Jongin decides to settle with this title, but the lump doesn't go away and Jongin doesn’t want to blame Chanyeol--especially since he hasn’t really said much except hello--but he feels kind of irritated with the other boy now.

“Ah alright then. Hi I’m Jongin, I’m sure you know by now, but I’m Kyungsoo’s best friend, Chanyeol.”

Chanyeol flashes an easy smile and gives two little waves with both hands. “Where is Kyungsoo anyways? Tell that dummy to come out! I want to talk to him.”

Jongin throws the covers off of Kyungsoo who then starts to panic and tries to crawl away. Jongin sighs and after some struggling, drags Kyungsoo back against the bed, then places the laptop down on his lap. Kyungsoo covers his face with his hands, but Jongin can see Kyungsoo peeking through the cracks between his fingers.

“Kyungsoo, move those hands of yours, I want to see your face.”

Kyungsoo presses his hands harder to his face and shakes his head back and forth.

“Please, for me?” Chanyeol’s pouty expression has Jongin scoffing. Chanyeol looked liked a monkey begging for a banana. (Ok, Jongin is a little jealous of Chanyeol, not that he would admit it.)

Kyungsoo hesitates for a few moments more, but ultimately he complies, dropping his hands to his sides but ultimately keeping his eyes down so that he’s not looking directly at the camera.

“Awww see you are still adorable as ever Kyungsoo! You haven’t changed at all. You still have those big wide eyes and those nice pinchable cheeks. I can’t believe this, you look the same as you did back in third grade!”

Kyungsoo actually looks offended at Chanyeol’s words, judging by the way he suddenly jumps up and glares into the camera. “I do not! Look I got more mature looking! I think I’m even starting to grow stubble.”

“I guess another thing hasn’t changed about you either is that you are still a terrible liar Do Kyungsoo.”

Kyungsoo reflexively smacks the computer screen playfully, as if Chanyeol would actually be able to feel it through the computer. “And you’re still childish as ever Chanyeol.”

The two end up playfully bantering, the kind that exists between two friends that obviously share a history together. Jongin starts losing interest in the conversation when they start pulling out inside jokes that he knows nothing about. All the while, he can’t help but feel a seething in his chest. He knows it’s childish to be jealous of someone who is thousands of miles overseas, but he can’t help it. Kyungsoo is his ...Kyungsoo is his …

Everything that comes to mind just doesn’t fit, doesn’t begin to explain the extent to which Jongin admires, trusts and cares for Do Kyungsoo.

Jongin gives up trying to fill in the blank.

☼☼

The half-full jar goes back to being completely empty the summer before 9th grade when Kyungsoo’s dad gets laid off. Things are ok at first, with Kyungsoo’s mom working a secretary job on the side and Kyungsoo’s dad’s unemployment compensation being enough for them to get by. Jtongin’s happy just knowing that Kyungsoo won’t have to move.

But when the holidays roll around and Kyungsoo overhears his parents fighting about how they were going to pay for sister’s tuition, and for the lease on the cars, and Kyungsoo’s vocal lessons they had planned on giving him for Christmas, he willing gives up the money, dumping the contents of the jar on the table and leaving the room silently.

When Kyungsoo shows up at Jongin’s doorstep at 9:30 in the evening on a snowy December evening with an empty jar and ugly tears streaking down his face, Jongin freezes up, unsure what to say, so he just pulls the other into a tight hug, much like the one Kyungsoo gave him when he was 7 and Kyungsoo was 8.

A fresh set of tears start to bud in Kyungsoo’s eyes, and Jongin thinks that no one as sweet, caring and compassionate as Kyungsoo deserves to feel so hopeless. He wipes at the corners of Kyungsoo’s eyes with the sleeve of his hoodie, catching the impending tears before they escape. Kyungsoo releases a shaky breath and buries his head into the crook of Jongin’s shoulder in response, hiding his face from Jongin’s worried eyes. Jongin pulls him in tighter, pressing him tightly to his chest in the fear that if he doesn’t, Kyungsoo would break into tiny, irreparable fragments.

They stay like that for a while, and Jongin can feel Kyungsoo slowly start to untense.

“It’s ok. You’ll get to Korea one day Kyungsoo, I swear,” Jongin murmurs gently, still pressing Kyungsoo tightly to his shoulder.

Kyungsoo sniffles, turning his head to look at Jongin. “Pinky swear?”

“I pinky swear on Monggu’s life,” Jongin replies solemnly.

Kyungsoo, whose tears have mostly dried up now so that all that is left of them are red rims around his lids and a glassy sheen to his eyes, gasps mockingly, “Whoa, busting out your puppy, you’re pretty serious.”

“You know it. Now get in here, it’s getting cold standing here and my mom will make both of us cry if she sees us letting all the heat out. I was just about to make some hot chocolate anyways.” Jongin clutches onto Kyungsoo’s hand and leads him into his house. Jongin likes the way Kyungsoo’s hand is still smaller than his; that it still fits so perfectly in his own, like it had so many years ago, and he may hold on to Kyungsoo’s hand a little longer than he has too.

Later that night, as Jongin is laying restlessly awake in his bed waiting for sleep to overtake him, Jongin realizes that maybe, just maybe, he might possibly like Kyungsoo as more than any kind of friend. That maybe the urge to kiss away Kyungsoo’s sadness, to hold him tight and tell him everything will be ok, because Jongin would be there to help him no matter what, is not exactly something someone would want to do with their friend or best friend.  


  
☼☼


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Several glasses of lemonade, a jar full of promises and ten years of loving Kyungsoo later, Jongin grows to hate the label 'friend'.

☼☼

The bottom of the jar is still slightly visible, with coins barely managing to hide the sticker at the bottom, when Kyungsoo tells Jongin that he has a girlfriend.

“Jongin, Krystal; Krystal, Jongin.” Kyungsoo gestures between the two of them. It’s not like this had come as much of a surprise to Jongin; he had heard Kyungsoo mention how cute the girl in his World Literature class was more than once, but never had he thought Kyungsoo would act on it. Actually, Jongin--and he’s not sure why--never imagined Kyungsoo dating, ever.

Feeling numb, Jongin gives the girl a once over.

She’s not the thinnest girl, but she’s not fat either. She’s a curvy girl who happens to be a few inches shorter than Kyungsoo, with black rimmed glasses that frame mud brown eyes and a round, petite face. Her shoulder length hair is layered with bangs sweeping across a smooth, clean forehead, and of course, Jongin can’t ignore the fact that she has very prominent breasts, though he tries to; however, it’s hard for him to do so when her cleavage is practically bursting from her V-neck.

It’s just one more thing Jongin can’t be. Jongin can’t be Kyungsoo’s best friend; Jongin can’t be Kyungsoo’s girlfriend.

“It’s nice to finally meet you Jongin, Kyungsoo has told me a lot about you,” she says brightly, and even her voice is perky and feminine in a way that is opposite to Jongin’s. In fact, she seems to be the opposite of everything that Jongin is and that just makes everything seem more surreal. Jongin can feel his heart pounding in his chest, aching, and he can feel the sickening drop of his stomach and a harsh pressure building up in the depths of his chest. He does his best to paint on a plastic smile, but it’s obviously not a good one because Kyungsoo looks at him with concern a minute later. Jongin averts his eyes to the ground.

“It was nice meeting you Krystal. I have to go now Kyungsoo, I’ll talk to you later ok?” and with that Jongin scurries off the bathroom where he most definitely does not try to hold back tears.

 

☼☼

 

The bottom of the jar is still slightly visible, with coins barely managing to cover the sticker at the bottom, when Jongin’s heart breaks for the first time. It breaks into tiny little shards, ones that litter and cut his insides until they are raw and tender.

For the first time in 5 years Jongin stops putting money into the jar. Jongin buys himself some ice cream instead, eating away his troubles and drowning himself with two pounds of moose tracks so that he doesn’t even have a chance to think about the perky brunette girl he is not.

 

☼☼

 

The jar is almost half way full again when Kyungsoo breaks up with his girlfriend in the springtime, when the flowers have just started to bloom back and the trees are just starting to color green again.

“She really was fun to be with; pretty, funny and smart, but...” Kyungsoo doesn’t do a very good job of keeping the guilt from edging into his voice as he explains it to Jongin, but Jongin feels something else; a dash of foolish hope, a pinch of guilt, and a lick of doubt. Jongin can feel the wounds in his heart starting to close—though not completely— just enough so they no longer sting and claw at his insides.

Jongin prompts Kyungsoo with his hands to continue. “But?”

Kyungsoo gives an indifferent shrug. “Well. I just realized she really wasn’t my type.”

Jongin takes in a slow steady breath in an attempt to mentally brace himself. “And what, exactly, is your type?”

There is a long radio silence before Kyungsoo finally mutters under his breath, “You.”

Jongin isn’t able to catch what Kyungsoo had said. “What did you say?”

Kyungsoo shakes his head dismissively and gestures toward Jongin’s front door. “Nothing, never mind. Let’s just go get some froyo.”

Jongin is too afraid to hear Kyungsoo’s answer to ask him to repeat it again, so he drops it. Sometimes, Jongin thinks, ignorance is bliss.

And even though the grades on Jongin’s report card will probably make his mother cry, and his face is breaking out because he stays up so late playing video games and eating junk food, and his bike just got a flat tire so he had to walk 40 minutes in the rain this morning, he is so happy that Kyungsoo has gotten rid of his girlfriend that he almost doesn’t bother trying to hide the $20 he slips to the bottom of the jar when he goes over to Kyungsoo’s house later that day.

 

☼☼

 

“Happy birthday to you! Yay!” Everyone claps their hands as they finish the song, and they urge Kyungsoo to blow the candles out before the wax drips all over the frosting.

Kyungsoo briefly closes his eyes to make his wish, and then blows out the small flames atop the ‘16’ candle that sits in the center of his cake.

Kyungsoo is in the kitchen cleaning off some of the silverware and plates while his mother passes out the ice cream and cake to his party guests when Jongin walks in with a Dixie cup in his hand.

“Did you wish for what I think you wished for?” Jongin asks knowingly, leaning against the counter.

Kyungsoo hums . “Maybe.”

At this, Jongin glances over to the bulletin board that hangs next to the fridge. It’s covered in letters and postcards dating back as far as 8 years, and all of them are signed with the same, ‘P.S. When are you coming to visit me? -Chanyeol’. The latest one is a birthday card with a cat tap dancing on the front of it, and a selfie of Chanyeol at a beach inside. Jongin had decided that even after 8 years the boy still looked the same, with his untamed hair and wild eyes; though judging by the way he towers over the people in the background, he is definitely taller now.

Jongin rolls his eyes.“Don’t be so cryptic Kyungsoo. Anyways, here.”

Kyungsoo stops doing the dishes momentarily to look at Jongin, who is now holding the cup out to him.

“What is that?” He asks suspiciously.

“Your present.” Jongin grins, inviting him to come closer with a small twitch of his fingers.

Kyungsoo takes it from him with narrowed eyes. “It’s not mustard and Sprite again is it.”

Jongin breaks into laughter but shakes his head back and forth, causing his newly dyed blonde hair to flip side to side (He is ‘going through a phase’ as his mother liked to say. Jongin doesn’t tell her that it’s because Kyungsoo had said once before that he liked blondes).

“No, I swear it’s not.” Jongin holds his hands up, as if to show that he means no harm.

”I still don’t believe you.”

“Come on, it’s your birthday, I’m not that much of an asshat.”

“…Ok fine. I guess.” Kyungsoo takes the cup from his hands and sniffs the liquid a couple of times before he finally places the cup to his lips and carefully sips it. A second later he chokes on it, spits it out in the sink, grabs a water bottle from the fridge and downs half of it before he glares at Jongin.

“What the heck was that?” He demands angrily.

“Lemonade. Your lemonade to be specific.” Jongin incessant laughter causes Kyungsoo’s eyebrow to twitch in annoyance, but instead of hitting Jongin in the shoulder like he usually does when his friend is being a douche, he just asks begrudgingly, “Is that what my lemonade really tasted like?”

“Yes. Actually, I was merciful to you. I’m pretty sure there was more salt in it than that the first time, but I might be so horrifically scarred from that event that I can’t exactly remember.”

Kyungsoo punches him in the shoulder this time. “Why didn’t you ever tell me that I was using salt instead of sugar? More importantly why didn't my mother ever say anything?”

“Maybe she was like me and just couldn't break your little heart.” Jongin pinches Kyungsoo’s cheeks as he talks.

Kyungsoo is about to open his mouth to protest, until a smug look over takes his face. “So why is it that you bought so much of my atrocious lemonade then, hmm?”

Jongin’s really thankful that his tan from being outside so often is dark enough to hide his pink cheeks. “Erm. I don’t know.” He drops his hands and starts shuffling out of the kitchen. “Whatever. Your real present is in your room.”

Kyungsoo laughs at his friend’s embarrassment and goes back to doing the dishes.

When Kyungsoo finally goes up to his room that night, he finds a card on top of the jar, which he reads carefully. It had only been a little over a year since Kyungsoo had started to save up again, and the last time he had checked, there was about $100 worth of change in it. Added to the mix now, are two $100 bills. Kyungsoo’s not sure what to think. It was a lot of money, even for Jongin, and Kyungsoo’s tempted to give it back when he remembers the words on the card ‘don’t you even think about giving this back it’s my present to you and if you reject my money your rejecting me too’.

He’ll let it slide this once.

Kyungsoo dreams about getting on a plane that night, but when he gets off he isn’t alone.

 

☼☼

 

Things change when Kyungsoo gets a job his second year of high school. He works at a Mcdonalds about 4 miles from his house. He’s paid minimum wage to flip burgers and man the drive thru and he works 20 hours. When Kyungsoo isn’t working he’s studying for the ACTs, which leaves little time for Jongin.

It’s tough for Jongin. He’s upset because he wants to see Kyungsoo. On the other hand, he’s happy for Kyungsoo. With the money he’s earning from work, he’s well on his way to filling the jar. The jar with the money that will allow Kyungsoo to see his best friend. Who is Chanyeol and not Jongin.

Jongin takes to spending more time around his dance school. He makes a little extra cash assistant teaching there, and sometimes if he gets done early enough, he’ll hang out with one of his classmates, Sehun.

Hanging out with Sehun isn’t the same though; he misses having Kyungsoo scold him for putting his feet on the coffee table, and Kyungsoo’s deliriously perfect voice when he sings along to the radio in the car, and Kyungsoo’s musical laughter when he's amused at one of Jongin’s cheesy jokes that no one else would probably laugh at.

He thinks about Kyungsoo during Geometry, doodles Kyungsoo’s name all over the cover of his notebooks and binders during American Literature, thinks about the way Kyungsoo’s hair looks amazing swept back and dyed maroon during Gym, but mostly he thinks about kissing Kyungsoo’s lips until they are stained a deep red and then reaching for waist of Kyungsoo’s jeans and—

Jongin has difficulties controlling his teenage mind in class sometimes, and it’s not even because American History is boring as hell. He just really misses Kyungsoo.

“Kyungsoo, stop being so busy please. I never get to see you. Who am I supposed to watch Walking Dead with? Sehun always ends up complaining through the entire episode so I never know what’s going on.” Jongin complains while messily spread across the length of Kyungsoo’s bed.

“Is that all I’m good for? Watching Walking Dead with?” Kyungsoo scoffs from his desk where he is doing Calculus homework.

“No, you’re good for making me food, and helping me with homework and telling me how awesome I am at dancing. So stop being busy.” Jongin throws his socks at the back of Kyungsoo’s head as he talks. Kyungsoo, who has had years of putting up with Jongin’s childish antics, simply ignores it.

“Wow glad to know I’m worth so much to you.” Jongin’s heart stutters a little at how personally Kyungsoo seems to have taken his words.

“You are. ” Jongin agrees cheekily, but he says the words with nothing but sincerity.

“Pfft. Whatever.”

It's almost unfair how Kyungsoo doesn’t realize how much he means it.

 

☼☼

 

The jar is three-quarters full when it starts to gather dust. Kyungsoo stops putting money in the jar, instead choosing to put it in a bank account, where it is safely tucked out of harms way.

Jongin on the other hand, continues to add coins and dollar bills to the jar, though now less than before because he’s never at Kyungsoo’s house anymore.

 

☼☼

 

The fierce October winds howling outside make Jongin pity any trick-or-treaters that had planned on going out that Night. Kyungsoo and he on the other hand, had plans of staying in for a movie night, something they had made into a tradition after they both decided they were too old for trick or treating some years back.

Jongin has just sat down on the couch when his cell phone goes off. Even though he knows exactly who it is because of the ring tone, he still checks the caller ID anyways.

“Hey Soo, I just got home from the grocery store actually. I got this awesome orange Halloween popcorn and your Swedish fish. I also picked out some comedies cause I know you don’t like scary movies even though it’s Halloween and what else are you supposed to watch on Halloween; but it’s ok—”

Jongin can hear the guilt dripping from Kyungsoo’s voice when the other cuts him off abruptly,“Jongin I can’t come anymore. I’m covering for someone at work, they said it was an emergency and I’m really really sorry. I’ll make it up to you next week ok—”

Jongin knows he’s not being fair; He knows that Kyungsoo is busy with college applications and that he has a life to live that doesn’t revolve around Kim Jongin. But Kyungsoo could at least try to make some time for him. Jongin strains to remember that last time he had seen Kyungsoo. Two weekends ago? Maybe, three? It doesn’t help that Kyungsoo rarely answers his phone anymore either, or that he missed Jongin’s last dance recital, despite promises of being in the front row to cheer him on.

Am I not worth the time anymore? Jongin wonders bitterly. Why was Kyungsoo even working there in the first place? His parent dad had an office job again, his mother was at home again, and his sister had graduated from college so why was he always working— Oh. Right. So he can go visit Chanyeol in fucking Korea.

Jongin feels the resentment boiling in his blood and before he can control himself he cuts in bitterly, “You said that last time too. Look Kyungsoo if you really don’t have time for me, don’t worry about it ok.”

Kyungsoo frantically begins to refute Jongin’s words. “Jongin, I do want to spend time with you though. Can’t you see hard I’m working to try and get to Korea? You know why; You’re the one who has always helped me you are the reason why—“ There is a note of sheer desperation dipping into Kyungsoo voice, but Jongin’s too blinded with anger and frustration that he can’t hear it.

“I’m not your best friend. I’m not Chanyeol. I’m just your friend. I’m just Jongin.” Jongin cuts off, and using the last of resolve, he swipes the red ‘end call’ button on his iphone, throws it on the couch and curls up into a tight ball on the hardwood floor of his living room.

The tears that Jongin had managed to hold back two years ago in the grimy stall of the boys bathroom flow freely now, and holding them in for so long makes it that much harder to stop them.

☼☼

 

Before long, the leaves are all falling to the ground, and soon they are covered under a thick blanket of snow. It’s not much longer before the March showers wash away the snow, and the first signs of spring are starting to sprout again.

Despite living across the street, Jongin still hasn’t seen or heard from Kyungsoo since October and Jongin doesn’t know it, but the jar is once again, completely empty.

 

☼☼

It’s 7:30 A.M on a Saturday morning when Jongin hears a knock on the front door. He forgets that his sister had finally moved out a few months ago, and moans for her to get it. The knocking persists, and Jongin shoves his head under his pillow in an effort to block the rapting out. Unfortunately, he knocking gets louder and more aggressive, until eventually Jongin irritably rolls out of bed and pads down stairs, not bothering to throw on a shirt or fix his bed head.

He throws open the door and squints to see who it is. “What do you want?”

“Jongin.” Jongin feels his heart speed up at the familiar voice; the voice he had come to love so dearly after so many years is uncertainly mumbling his name on his doorstep. Jogin stands there, still sleep dazed, but surprised as well.

“Kyungsoo? I-You- I’m sorry.” Jongin is flooded with so many things he has been wanting to say for the past four months that he skips the ‘hi’ and the ‘i’m missed you’, instead skipping straight to the apology he had been waiting to give for so long.

“Why are you sorry? I’m the one who should be sorry—“

“No, let me finish please,” Jongin pleads. Kyungsoo closes his mouth, and nods for him to continue.

“I’m sorry for being such a douche. I knew you were busy with college applications and work. I knew how important going to Korea was—is—to you but all I ever did was add to your stresses by complaining about how busy you were all the time, as if you hadn’t already know that. I was just being a selfish baby who didn’t want to share you with anyone; not with work, not with your family and definitely not with Chanyeol. Actually, I’ve always been this way. I’ve always been jealous of Chanyeol, because he is your best friend and well, I’m not.” Jongin is burning red with shame when he finishes, but he feels better for finally getting it all out in the open.

Kyungsoo stills for a minute to process Jongin’s words before he colors a matching shade of red too.

“Jongin, you’re really stupid.” Kyungsoo whacks Jongin in the chest, the same way he always has. It feels good to have Kyungsoo back again.

Jongin grumbles in embarrassment. “Yeah I know.”

“Really really stupid.” He whacks him again.

“I know ok.”

“Really, really super stupid.” A punch to the shoulder.

“Yes, I get it ok, I’m stupid.”

“No I don’t think you get it. I don’t think you will ever get it unless I spell it out for you.”

Kyungsoo glares at Jongin when he stares back at him with a confused frown.

“You are my best friend you dumb fuck,” Kyungsoo sighs, “don’t you roll your eyes at me Kim Jongin.” He punches Jongin again before continuing, “You are my best friend. And so is Chanyeol.”

Jongin shakes his head and rolls his eyes again, “Kyungsoo that doesn’t count.”

“Just shut up and listen to me for a second, ok?” Jongin complies, though not without an indignant stare.

“As I was saying, you are both my best friends, but Chanyeol is my best friend that I can gossip with, and complain about my job to. He’s the best friend that I can fanboy about comics with, and brag about my amazing test grades to. More importantly, he’s the only person I can bitch about my stupid crush that I have on my idiot neighbor who still hasn’t realized it—even after 9 years— to.”

Jongin feels his blood run cold and his swears he hears his heartbeat literally falter at Kyungsoo’s words. “Could you repeat that last part?”

Kyungsoo flicks him on the forehead, causing Jongin to pout. “I’m not done yet. And then there’s your kind of best friend. You’re the best friend that I want to compliment me when I’m wearing my good jeans. You’re the best friend I want to hold my hand when the thunder gets too loud and the lightning gets too bright and when I complain about having a shitty day, you will kiss me and tell me to forget about it all, to be happy because ‘you’re here with me’. You’re the kind of best friend I wouldn’t mind spending the rest of my life with.” Kyungsoo sounds tired when he’s done, but his shoulders sag in relief, as though a heavy burden has been lifted.

All of this seems to go over Jongin’s head as he continues to stare blankly at Kyungsoo. “So…you mean…you want me to be your boyfriend?” He clarifies dumbfoundedly.

“Wow I just gave you a romantic speech about what you mean to me and how I want to spend the rest of eternity with your stupid face and all you can do is ask me if I want you to be my boyfriend? Obviously I want you to be my boyfriend. Heck, excluding freshman year when I had that little sexuality crisis, I’ve been wishing for you to kiss me since 4th grade when I threw one of your quarters into a wishing well. We can see how well that worked,” Kyungsoo finishes dryly.

Jongin’s gone numb with shock as he hears the very words he had been craving for so long. It’s a good shock, unlike last time; one that sends his blood pulsing and his heart soaring as he finally leans over and carefully pulls Kyungsoo’s head closer to his so that Kyungsoo’s lips—which at the moment, look pinker and fuller than they ever have— are even with his own. After a moment’s hesitation to make sure that this was really, truly happening, Jongin finally presses his lips firmly against Kyungsoo’s. Kyungsoo’s lips are even softer and sweeter than Jongin had ever imagined, and the lewd dreams that Jongin has had over the years about Kyungsoo do him no justice. Kyungsoo, who had gone very still from the moment Jongin had pulled his face towards his own, eagerly leans into the kisses now, willingly parting his lips ever so slightly so that Jongin can lick into his mouth and swallow the soft little moans that Kyungsoo unconsciously lets out each time Jongin nibbles at his upper lip. Neither is graceful, not even Kyungsoo who is somewhat more experienced than Jongin. Sometimes Jongin sucks at the other’s tongue a bit too hard, other times, he misses Kyungsoo’s mouth entirely, but the messy kisses are perfect in all the right ways.

When Kyungsoo’s chest is sufficiently covered in red marks, and small bite marks mar the sides of his neck, Jongin pulls away with a smirk to admire his work.

“Yea, look how well that worked.”

 

☼☼

 

“So why, exactly, did you avoid me for 4 months?”

The two of them are perched on Jongin’s bed, though with a reasonable bit of space between the two of them because Jongin’s mom had walked in not too long ago to the suspicious sight of her son and his best friend panting, their clothes rumpled in disarray--and if that wasn’t enough of a tip off, then their rosy cheeks and kiss swollen lips certainly were.

“Oh. That’s because I had to be sure that I would have enough.”

“Enough what?” Jongin rolls over on his stomach to face Kyungsoo, who had just settled on the ground by the bedside.

Kyungsoo opens his mouth to reply, but closes it suddenly and gets up, dashing down the stairs and reappearing a second later with the empty jar. He sets the jar on Jongin’s desk, next to his dance trophies and soccer trophies.

“Why is it empty? What happened to all the money?” Jongin sits up, concern worrying away at his handsome features.

Kyungsoo ignores his questions, instead continuing on with what he was previously saying, “I had to make sure that I had enough money for two tickets to Korea before I asked you.”

Jongin’s face remains impassive, but Kyungsoo can see that gears are starting to turn in his head as he starts to put two and two together. “Who...is the other ticket for..?”

“The other ticket is for you. Jongin, I want you to come to Korea with me.” Kyungsoo reaches into his pocket and produces a piece of paper. He hands it Jongin who takes it cautiously.

It’s a bank statement, and sure enough, there is enough money there for at least two tickets to Korea.

Jongin eyes have gone glassy, and Kyungsoo can catch the faint tremble in his voice when he finally says,“I-I’m really flattered but I think this is more of a personal trip. It was your hard earned money Soo, I can’t just take that from you.”

Kyungsoo narrows his eyes at his now-boyfriend. “Not ‘i’. ‘We’. The money we earned. You don’t honestly think that I didn’t know about you slipping the money into the jar for so many years? Really?”

Jongin sits up, resting his back against the wall, and looks down sheepishly to avoid Kyungsoo’s judging stare. Kyungsoo crawls onto the bed and rests his head on Jongin’s shoulder. “Thank you though. It’s the sweetest thing anyone’s ever done for me.” He wraps his arms around Jongin’s shoulders and pecks Jongin on the cheek and Jongin has to bite back a goofy grin.

Jongin clears his throat before gruffly replying, as though he hadn’t just gotten super emotional a few moments ago,“I pinky swore to you I would help you go to Korea, remember?”

“I know, and it was promises like that that made me like you that much more. Now say yes.” Kyungsoo whines, shaking at Jongin’s upper arm.

“...I…”

“Will you say yes if I do this…?” Kyungsoo kisses him on the cheek again, and bats his long lashes pleadingly.

“Well…”

“Will you say yes if I do this…” Kyungsoo shifts forward, and moves down to Jongin’s lips, pausing when he feels Jongin’s breathing stop for a second.

“Maybe.” Jongin replies mischieviously, waiting for Kyungsoo to keep going.

Kyungsoo sighs and leans forward all the way, sealing his lips with Jongin’s. Needless to say, when Kyungsoo asks him again after a few moments, Jongin breathlessly agrees.

“Ok fine, I’ll go.” Jongin huffs, though seemingly irritated on the outside, his heart swells with elation; yes, this is everything he could want and more.

Kyungsoo smiles up at him lovingly and reaches out to pull Jongin in once more.

 

☼☼

 

“He said he would be waiting for us over by the luggage claim... but I don’t see him anywhere!” Kyungsoo anxiously remarks, all the while circling the bench they’re sitting at, eyes trained on the luggage claim in the hopes of catching Chanyeol. He nervously pulls his upper lip between his teeth, a habit he still has from when he was younger.

Jongin on the other hand doesn’t seem terribly worried. He’s still tired from the 13 hour flight, so he’s grateful for the chance to stretch his sore limbs, especially his left shoulder where Kyungsoo had fallen asleep while they were watching Finding Nemo, and Jongin hadn’t had the heart to move Kyungsoo off of him. Jongin sighs in content when pulls his arms out in front of him and stretches gratefully, before he swats at Kyungsoo playfully.

“Soo, it’s literally been 10 minutes, I’m sure he’ll turn up. Just enjoy the view, soak it up!” Jongin gestures around wildly; at the wall of sweeping windows that surround them on both sides, at the businessmen speeding away to their next flight, at the overpriced souvenir shops that stretch down the length of the terminal. The sky is an ashy grey and the rain can be heard banging against the roof and the windows, and really it’s a pretty crappy way to arrive to any country, but Jongin’s too enamored with his daydreams of the bright lights and buzz of the city to care about the weather, or if Chanyeol has shown up yet.

“I’m sorry you know how worried I get. I can’t help it though. What if the big lug got one of his stupid bursts of spontaneity and decided to dye his hair and I didn’t recognize him and he’s already half way home because I didn’t see him?” Kyungsoo theorizes manically, even as Jongin rubs soothing circles on his back in an attempt to calm his nerves.

“Nope, I think you’ll be glad to hear he still looks like an overgrown poodle.”

Kyungsoo gasps and jumps back from Jongin, whirling around just in time for long arms to wrap him into a bone crushing hug.

“Kyungsoo, is that really you?” Chanyeol elatedly exclaims picking the smaller up suddenly, twirling him around gleefully. Kyungsoo squeaks in surprise, before he breaks into a delighted grin and radiant laughter.

With the timbre of Chanyeol’s voice being so much richer than Jongin had noted before, and Chanyeol’s overall handsome complexion being many times more prominent in person, Jongin’s sure he would have been jealous of Chanyeol hugging Kyungsoo a year ago. Now, he’s flooded with a warmth that starts from his heart and spreads out towards the tips of his fingers, ears and toes as he watches Kyungsoo tearfully hug his best friend for the first time in 11 years.

Chanyeol turns to Jongin after he’s done spinning Kyungsoo around like a rag doll. “it’s nice to finally meet you Kim Jongin. You better be a good man to my best friend, you hear? I know where you live.” Chanyeol jokes, though Jongin can tell by the way his eyes harden slightly, that he is only half kidding. Kyungsoo, feeling overwhelmed at seeing Chanyeol after so long, blushes at his friend’s words.

“You’ve got nothing to worry about, he’s in good hands.” Chanyeol holds Jongin’s stare for a moment, and the two exchange a look of understanding, one where they can both agree that Jongin would take care of Kyungsoo no matter what; to love and cherish him and never let a day go by where he forgets it.

Chanyeol grins, seemingly happy for his best friend. “Alright, enough standing around here, we have a city to go see!”

Chanyeol starts walking toward the automatic doors, where the pounding rain outside can be seen, making Seoul seemingly disappear into the dream it once was so many years ago.

Jongin is about to start following after Chanyeol when he notices Kyungsoo isn’t beside him. Jongin looks around and see Kyungsoo standing by a window. Jongin strides over to Kyungsoo, who is staring out the window with a gentle sort of disbelief drawn on his petite features, as if he still can’t comprehend that ‘i did it, i’m here.’

Jongin breaks him out of his reverie when he slides his hand into Kyungsoo’s and nudges him in Chanyeol direction.

“Come on, we’re going to lose him if we don’t catch up.”

Kyungsoo flashes him a shy, earnest smile, and nods in agreement. Jongin gives Kyungsoo’s hand a tender squeeze and he can’t stop the corner of his lips from twitching into a shy smile of his own as he sees Kyungsoo smaller fingers tangled so wonderfully with his larger ones, the way they always had, should, and will be.

Still a perfect fit.

☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼


End file.
